Trust and Bonds: Aura
by PocketMonstersDaisuki
Summary: At the Kalos Pokemon League, Satoshi encounters a rival from the past, a past not even Gary Oak, his neighbor, knows about. Memories rise, and with an abduction from Team Rocket, things fall out of hand. Can Satoshi push past fears behind him, and find the strength to protect his friends? Contains Amourshipping and Aura, Smart Ash. Rated T just in case.
1. The League is in Sight!

**So, this is my first fanfic, yes I understand that in your head you're probably still calling me a noob, please enjoy! Please note that I do not own Pokémon.**

"Look, LOOK! The Pokémon League, Pikachu!" cried a young raven-haired boy to his Pikachu perched on his shoulder. He and his companions, earlier that day, after obtaining his eighth gym badge, boarded the ferry headed straight for the Pokémon League, a tournament meant for only the most esteemed trainers, those who had won 8 gym badges.

"Woooooah!" A little blond girl yelled in amazement, along with a tiny orange pokémon, Dedenne, hanging in the pocket of a strap-on satchel.

"Eureka, don't lean on the railing like that! You might fall over!" An equally blond boy chastised her, wearing a blue and yellow outlined outfit, a heavy backpack weighing down his back, and with thick round glasses on.

"Onii-chan... You're so laaaame..." Eureka pouted as she reluctantly stepped away from the rail.

In front of the two siblings, two figures laughed. "Satoshi! Serena!" Citron cried out, inciting a few more giggles from the raven-haired pokémon trainer, Satoshi, and a cute girl with honey-colored hair, Serena.

"We're almost there, you guys!"

Serena pointed towards the shore, a grin lighting up her face.

"Yosh! The final frontier! Are you ready, Pikachu?!"

"Pikaaaa!" The electric mouse pumped his fist in response.

Blushing slightly, Serena stared at the joyous boy. _He's still the same, even since 8 years ago..._

_"Never give up!"_

* * *

><p>"Alan! We're almost there! Hellooo? Anybody in there?"<p>

A perky curly pink-haired girl and her Quilladin waved their hands in a desperate attempt to attract the attention of a young boy and his Charizard, both of them deep in thought.

"Alaaaan!"

Snapped out of his trance by the girl's pouting, Alan turned to face her with a bored expression. He had dark blue hair, as well as dark blue for almost all of his clothes, except for one light blue scarf covering his neck.

"What's up, Manon?"

"GAH! Didn't you hear me? I said we're almost there!" Manon cried while flailing her arms to try and make a point.

"Oh. Is that so."

"Yes! Look!" Her expression suddenly changing to one of excitement. "You can see the battlefield from here!"

"That's true. Who knew you could actually be right once, Manon," A slight smirk embroidering his face.

"HEEEEEEY!"

* * *

><p>*BING*<p>

"Here you go, Satoshi. All registered!" smiled a pink-haired lady, a Wigglytuff standing besides her, holding out Satoshi's Kalosian pokédex.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy!" Satoshi grinned at Pikachu, holding out his pokédex above him, like a trophy. "This time, we'll win for sure!"

"Chuuu!" His pokémon agreed wholeheartedly.

"Now... Let's get some lunch!"

Behind him, his friends laughed.

Walking along the busy streets celebrating for the league, the group couldn't help but stare in wonder. Smiles were found everywhere, and many different smells and sights exhilarated their senses. The street vendors' variety made it impossible to linger at one for too long, as soon enough, some other advertisement would pique their curiosity. And in more than one situation, the group found themselves purchasing some especially exotic product, be it food or accessory.

"Maaaan, these fluffy Altaria cream puffs are delicious!" Mumbled Satoshi, reaching for more to stuff into his bottomless pit, a.k.a. his stomach.

"Oi, Satoshi, you're eating all of the Altaria puffs! Lemme have some!" Eureka said, pushing his hand out of the way, and grabbing some quickly for herself.

"H-hey!" Satoshi protested, and Pikachu sighed as the quarrel over food erupted. While Serena, on the other hand, fastened a pretty chain-linked heart necklace she had bought from a vendor.

"Um... Satoshi, how do I-"

However, the boy wasn't paying attention, as someone brushed past him, bumping him a little. Eureka quickly took advantage of the opportunity to snatch the food box out of Satoshi's hands. As he turned to look behind him, his eyes widened and his expression darkened. Pikachu's face did the same. Under his breath, he muttered, "Alan."

Citron glanced worriedly at his friend. "Something wrong?" Serena also turned and stared at her best friend, and crush. Fingering her necklace, she whispered, "Satoshi?"

* * *

><p>"ALAN! Are you lost in thought again?!" Manon demanded, annoyed at her neglection of attention from her traveling partner. Alan didn't respond, but simply looked back, briefly meeting the surprised chocolate eyes of a raven-haired trainer, before directing his attention in front t of him once again. Grinning, his usually blank eyes sparkling with intense life, he whispered, "Satoshi."<p>

"Hm?" Manon gazed at her partner, now her friend, (rather than acquaintance) with concerned curiousity. "Something up?"

**Yosh! First chapter, relatively short! Sorry if it seems dull for now... The plot had a delayed flight and is taking a while to arrive! Reviews appreciated! Thx!**


	2. Memories

**Well, I forgot to say this last time, but I am going to be using the Japanese names for the characters, the humans only (with some exceptions). Well, enjoy!**

Satoshi's eyes were glassy and cold, And Serena could tell that his minds was elsewhere. He barely touched dinner, for goodness sake. It was hamburgers, and he only ate 3 compared to his usual 7! Pikachu, too, she noticed, looked a little uneasy. Staring intensely, she tried to comprehend the sudden lack of emotion.

"There's no point, Serena." Eureka said in between mouthfuls of food.

"You think?" The girl stared at her burger, sighing.

"Yeah! There's no point in having a staring contest with someone who's looking away!" And with that, Eureka finished off the last bite. Serena sweatdropped, and sighed, again. There's no way that an eight-year-old like Eureka could understand her feelings. Fingering her necklace, she thought, My feelings for Satoshi.

* * *

><p>Satoshi stared, deadpan, towards an unidentified location. <em>Alan... Why're you here, of all places...<em>

**Flashback:**

_"It's your first day at camp, Satoshi. Are you excited?" Satoshi's mom said, smiling kindly at the 6-year-old who was clinging to her hand._

_"Yeah!" He chirped swinging his arms happily. Golden and auburn leaves fringed the edge of the sidewalk, crunching underneath their feet. _

_"Here we are sweetie! I'll come back to pick you up later, okay?" Hanako kissed her son's cheek fondly before waving goodbye to the little boy. "Bye-bye Mama!" Came his cheerful reply._

_The entrance to the Aura Trainee Camp wasn't much of a spectacle as Satoshi had hoped, the gate hanging over his head rather faded and worn. The campus was odd, too, as it was built in the shape of a school. Satoshi liked school, but didn't like class as much. So far, to him, the outside seemed a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, clutching his backpack, he peered inside._

_"Hellooooo? Anyone here?" The lights were turned on, but the hallway itself was empty of occupants. Suddenly, footsteps sounded, and an older boy, who looked about 8, rounded the corner, a water bottle in hand._

_"Who're you?" The boy's sharp tongue startled Satoshi._

_"I-I'm Satoshi, a new camp member. Do you know where everyone else is?"_

_The boy grinned, his blue eyes sparkling. "Nice to meet you, Satoshi! I'm Alan, the strongest aura user here! Anyways, everyone outside, practicing getting a hold of their aura. Here, it's this way._

_As they approached the door, Satoshi could see other kids outside, standing up, with their eyes closed._

_"What're they doing that for?" He asked his guide, his curiousity bubbling._

_"Well," Alan responded, "They're trying to find their aura inside of themselves. You know, by focusing and reaching your heart and stuff. Say Satoshi, have you already found your aura?"_

_"Yup! I can also make a little ball of aura too! Look!" Concentrating, he summoned the energy to produce a glowing ball of pure blue aura in his hand. Tossing it to his other hand, he asked eagerly, "Alan! What does your aura look like?" Smirking, Alan quickly creating a similar glowing ball in his hand, but of a darker shade and larger size than of Satoshi's._

_"How's this?"_

_"Amazing! Alan, you're so cool!" The older boy sniffed triumphantly._

_"Anyways, this is the beginners' field. Out towards the back is where kids of a higher level, like me, practice aura. I should probably introduce you to our elder, too. Her name is Akane, but everyone just calls her Grandma. She knows a whole lot about aura."_

_As the pair walked past a fence separating the two fields, Satoshi overheard a conversation between a group of girls._

_"Alan is sooo cute, right Kazuko-chan?"_

_"Yeah, yeah! Leaf-chan, just confess already! If you wait for too long he'll fall in love with someone else!" _

_"B-but, Misa-chan, Kazu-chan, I'm so nervous..."_

_"Don't worry, Leaf-chan! You can definitely do it!"_

_Their voices faded as the two walked further out into the field, dotted with patches of dead grass and dandelions ready to disperse their seeds to the wind._

_"Grandma! We've got a new member!" Alan called out to an old woman sitting on a tree stump. Her Crimson scarf blew in the wind as she oversaw the training of the other children, accompanied by a young lady with white hair braided around her head._

_The two women turned their attention to Alan, who was running up to them, Satoshi close behind. "Now, let's have a look at you, young man." Grandma lifted his face and peered into his eyes, Satoshi staring back at her small yellow ones with equal intensity._

_"Nice to meet you, Satoshi." She smiled, while Satoshi stepped back in surprise._

_"How did you know my name?" He asked incredulously._

_"I know many things." She replied with a wink, causing Satoshi's mouth to spread into a large grin._

_"Grandma is so cool!"_

* * *

><p><em>The seasons passed, and soon enough, winter came. Satoshi proved to have a very strong aura, even close to the camp prodigy, Alan. Secretly, Satoshi admired Alan. He would always maintain a composed face, even if the going got rough. His aura, too, was incredible. The distance between him and the person who could second that was gigantic. That person in second was Satoshi. As winter turned spring, Satoshi started to overtake Alan, little by little. He mastered his aura speed with ease, and was a formidable opponent whenever Avalon, the white-haired assistant teacher, suggested a game of capture the flag. Not only this, but Satoshi's object creation ability grew. Object creation was the act of manipulating your aura waves to take the shape of a solid object. However, aura objects could never really kill someone; they only knocked an opponent unconscious. To kill, one would need to rely on their punches or kicks.<em>

_As Alan's fame started to diminish, his jealousy for Satoshi grew. He started to hate the younger boy._

_"Okay kids, today, we'll be trying to use our aura to befriend wild pokémon." Avalon announced to the excited faces in front of her. "Remember the method; Use your mind to reach out to the pokémon, and help them understand your cause. Make sure you use the appropriate approach for your pokémon, since some species react differently than others to certain methods. Once you've established a bond with your pokémon, come back to the fence. This way, we'll all see which pokémon each of us found!"_

_"Avalon-san talks like a teacher. Bor-ing."_

_"I HEARD THAT, HIKARU-KUN! Anyways, let the friendships begin!"_

_"Yaaaaaay!"_

_**Time skip for a couple of minutes**_

_"Hey, Alan! Look! I befriended a Pidgey!" Satoshi's eyes sparkled as he awaited his idol's response._

_"Coooo!" Pidgey cried happily settling down on Satoshi's head._

_"..."_

_"Hey, are you befriending a pokémon? Lemme see!" As Satoshi leaned down, however, the Eevee that had finally began to trust Alan started at the sight of Satoshi, and ran away._

_"Eevee!" Alan yelled in desperation, yet with no avail. The brown evolution pokémon would not return. Turning to Satoshi, his aura took on a dark, angry color. "You... you..."_

_"Alan?" Satoshi started to step back, his Pidgey floating down and hiding behind his legs._

_"It's all your fault Satoshi!" And with that, Alan summoned a fistful of aura, and punched him in the gut._

_Amidst the chaos, the Pidgey flew away._

**Cliffhanger! Don't worry, I'll try and update quickly! **

**So, to answer Rokudosatoshi's question...**

**Well, this chapter kind of explained it, right?**

**I was thinking of having Alan being once a kid, happy, yet very arrogant before he started his training as an assistant with Prof. Sycamore. As he grew older, he matured a lot more. But he'll be a bit more arrogant later in the story however. PLS DON'T KILL ME I DON'T WANNA DIE YET! I'm gonna try and incorporate more of his awesome and adorable side too, though. If you wanna send in an OC, go for it! I'll need some for the League. It's okay if it's not a Japanese one. Yes, Hanako is Delia. Finally, this will be Satoshi's team for the League:**

**Pikachu (duh)**

**Greninja (pls, I need some awesome pokémon for him!)**

**Avalugg (oddly, a lot of speculations)**

**Phantump (same reason as above, yolo)**

**Talonflame (that's already pretty obvious)**

**Hawlucha (LUCHARAAAAAN!)**

**Charizard will be there, don't worry, and Sceptile should also make a debut, I think. Don't forget to review! Constructive criticism really appreciated!**


	3. Enter Corni!

**Third chapter! You know, it's really weird that they don't have a ship yet for Alan (Alain) and Manon (Mairin).**

**Still in the Flashback:**

"_Mmmph?!" Satoshi grunted as the aura infused fist hurled him towards a tree, almost cracking the trunk. _

"_AARGH!" Another punch from Alan hit his hastily put up aura shield._

"_Alan! What's going on?!" the young boy yelled in desperation, blocking the maddened blows and kicks from the older one. Soon, the shield could bear the attacks no longer, and cracked. Satoshi was soon met with another fist to his face._

_Riled up, Satoshi retaliated at Alan with his own power, punching him in the gut. Both sides fought furiously, with only the anger a child could muster during a tantrum. _

"_Gyahh!"_

"_Umph!"_

_Blood scattered the ground, the dark red an unfamiliar color to their eyes. The sun had started its descent before Avalon finally got a hold of them, and tore the two apart. However, the pain from their brawl remained. Bloodstains and red eyes, hurt and resent. _

* * *

><p><strong><em>...Time Skip 4 years…<em>**

"_Well, that was a nice duel, eh, Satoshi?" Alan smile was a mask, yet no one else could tell._

"_..."_

_Satoshi glared with dark eyes at his rival. He had barely scraped a win._

_The others, spectators, looked expectantly at him. Alan had stuck out his hand, a faked sign of submission. The eyes of their teacher, Avalon, burned into his back._

_That's right, Grandma had died no less than 3 months ago. Avalon, because of her position, ended up taking her place. At the camp, everyone still mourned her death, but none the more so than Satoshi. Grandma always had something nice to say, even if she herself was feeling down. The world suddenly flipped upside down when he had heard she had passed. He didn't even believe it himself at first. But now that she and her fiery red aura were gone, the camp seemed like a duller place._

_Reluctantly, Satoshi shook Alan's hand._

* * *

><p><strong><em>...Time Skip couple minutes…<em>**

"_Hey, Satoshi, you're leaving on a journey, right?"_

"_Make sure you beat up that snob Shigeru for us at the Indigo League, 'kay?"_

"_What pokémon are you going to choose for a starter?"_

"_Ooh, how about Bulbasaur? It's soo cute!"_

"_No way! He's gonna pick Charmander 'cause it's cooler, right?"_

"_Or maybe he'll pick Squirtle!"_

_Satoshi sighed. Everyone was so excited about his journey, but he didn't think of it as that much of a deal. Of course, it was his dream to become a Pokémon Master, but there was only so much he could achieve without standing out too much. _

_He took a bite out of his sandwich, chewing thoughtfully._

_His first priority was to obtain all the gym badges of Kanto so that he could participate in the League, obviously. Coming second was to beat up Shigeru Okido's pokémon. His neighbor always teased him, calling him Satoshi-kun even though he specifically asked him not to. But Satoshi came up with a plan to break that snob's pride: He'd act like Shigeru was the stronger one for now, but at the League, he'd crush him. Without drawing too much attention. That was the problem with being an aura user; you can't use your powers publicly. You have to hide your identity. These were safety precautions that Avalon had instructed them about so that they'd be able to move around safely. The only areas where aura could be used in abundance were a few sanctuaries, about one or two per region. Tournaments were sometimes held there too._

"_Yo, Satoshi, what's up?" A boy with brown hair tied up in a small ponytail poked him in the cheek._

"_Hikaruuuu…"_

"_Fine, I'll stop." The boy grinned and sat back down. Hikaru was a friend he had made at camp, and he was a little sad to say goodbye. Satoshi knew that it was unlikely that he would ever meet him again outside. But then again, all the girls, save a few, fawned over him. Shoving down his sandwich, he finished his lunch._

_Alan was staring at him the entire time._

_The older boy ran up behind him. Because of his aura manipulation, Satoshi wasn't surprised when he tapped him on the shoulder. _

"_Satoshi."_

_Turning to face Alan with dark eyes, Satoshi replied, "What is it?"_

"_I'll just have you know," the boy said, "I'll make sure that I get into the top 20 aura user rankings. And when that happens, I'm going to challenge you to a duel, and _I'm not going to lose_."_

_They both walked away without a word of goodbye._

**Flashback end**

* * *

><p>Eureka slapped both of Satoshi's cheeks together, waking him up with an "GAH!"<p>

"Oi, Eureka, what'd you do that for?!" Satoshi pouted, rubbing his sore cheeks.

"To wake you up, silly!" Serena sang from behind him, twirling a keyring around her finger. "It's time to go!"

"Oh, sorry 'bout that." He mumbled, following his friends upstairs.

"Ta-daaa! Look at our room!" Serena unlocked the door, and they all piled in.

"Onii-chan! Look how fluffy the beds are!" Eureka bounced on the mattress, giggling. "Mmmm!"

Citron, picking his little sister off the bed, he told her, "Now, you're going to wash and change before you lie down on the bed, got it? Here're your PJ's."

"Okay!"

The room became silent once the energetic little 9-year-old started running the shower.

"Say, Satoshi, what were you thinking of earlier?" Citron ventured, concern filling his voice. Serena also gazed his way, nodding her head.

"Well-"

"Heeeey, is anyone in here?!" Before he could answer, Satoshi was interrupted by sudden knocking and the loud voice of a girl.

"See Lucario? I told you we should have went down and looked for them in the diner!"

"Arr." The Lucario shook its head.

The door opened, revealing a blondie with her hair back in a ponytail, and a Lucario by her side. Glancing at the Lucario, Satoshi was glad he had detected the pair's auras before they found out his.

"Corni!" Serena cried in pleasant surprise. "Come in, come in! What're you doing at the League?"

"To cheer on Satoshi of course!" Corni grinned, revealing a bunch of teeth.

"Then I better not lose, right?" Satoshi challenged, Pikachu glowing a similar determination.

"You bet!" Corning returned the dare with a look of her own. Lucario remained silent, but his mouth curled up slightly in amusement.

"That's right!" Corni announced suddenly. "In order to strengthen the bond between Lucario and I, Jii-chan (Grandpa, referring to Concombre/Gurkinn) taught me how to use aura!" A reddish-white color began to rise, surrounding her.

"T-there's actually such a thing?!" Clemont stammered, his glasses shining.

"Show us, Corni!" The voice came from the direction of the bathroom.

"Oh, hey Eureka! Anyways, here goes!" Closing her eyes in concentration, Corni surveyed the room with her aura. Her eyebrows knotted together as she came across Satoshi, who appeared to have less aura than normal. However, she ignored this, and focused some of her energy on forming a ball in her hand, the same color of her aura.

"This is all I can do right now, besides some other physical and aura detecting stuff." Her eyes lingered on Satoshi for a moment, and frowned. "Satoshi, is there something wrong? You and Pikachu are _quiet_."

"...No..." Satoshi averted his eyes from the glaring blond. Pikachu sighed, and looked at his trainer.

"Well, then I better dig it out of you then!" Corni huffed, closing her eyes.

"Carr!" Lucario cried out in indignation.

"W-what are you going to do, Corni?" Serena asked worriedly.

Shrugging, Corni casually answered, "Just gonna try and read his mind. Usually, it's considered rude, but it should be okay with Satoshi, so gimme a second."

As Corni's aura waves extended towards Satoshi, he quickly hid his recent thoughts and reshuffled his memories so that he wouldn't appear suspicious. It worked, because Corni's pulled back without any idea of his use of aura. Sighing in relief, he glanced at Lucario. The one he really needed to be wary of was the stern pokémon. Satoshi knew of its loyalty to Corni- they had been friends since they were young. A Lucario's sense of aura waves was much sharper than those of a human's, meaning that they can detect even the slightest of abnormalities in one's aura. Lucario probably already realized that Satoshi used aura, but could he be trusted to keep his mouth shut?

"That's strange, I couldn't find anything explanatory." Corni sighed, sitting down next to Serena. "Anyways, Satoshi, let's battle! It'll show you much I've gotten better since last time-"

"No thanks. I'm going to go out for a walk. Coming, Pikachu?" He fastened on his hat as he approached the door.

"Pika!" The electric mouse hopped onto his trainer's shoulder.

"We'll battle tomorrow, okay Corni?" Satoshi smiled apologetically as he closed the door behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>Done, onto the fourth chapter! I hope you've been enjoying the story so far! Next chapter: Corni the stalker?! That reminds me, I'll also be including some one-sided Shalourshipping (Satoshi x Corni). I just thought that, of all of the co-characters that could use aura, Corni would be one of the first, besides Alan. Most likely because she has a Lucario. For reference: Shigeru Okido is Gary Oak, Corni is Korrina. And now, here're the basics of aura in this story:<strong>

Aura waves are very thin, and only show a distinct color when concentrated into a tight pack. They all have their own kind of consciousness, which, when packed together, form a soul.

When a child is born, the aura waves surrounding it get absorbed into the body, which acts a host for the soul. In this sense, aura can be considered a life source. These waves differ on the personalities and emotions the people surrounding it exert. Of course, the process doesn't happen instantly, it takes a couple of years before the child has enough waves to call them it's "soul." Once this does happen, the soul takes the color of the all the influencing waves that covers all of the emotions in it. This is why it is exceedingly rare to find a person with an aura of a pure color, such as white, black, or even a primary color. In addition, depending on the situation, the color of a person's aura can even change.

However, there remains a difference between simply having aura and being able to use it. In order to use aura, you must first be able to manipulate it. To manipulate aura, you must firstly find the core of your soul, and understand who you are, all of your flaws, and accept them as yourself, no matter how despicable they may be. There is also a way to manipulate aura with a gadget, however the name isn't that well known. On average, it takes about a month of reflection to finally be able to use aura.

Manipulation of aura includes enhancing physical strength by altering speed frequencies and air resistance, sending out waves for surveying areas, transferration of souls, and the creation of objects.

The creation of aura objects is the process of forming your own aura into something else. It requires a great deal of focus, as even the tiniest emotion of fear or shock can cause the object to waver. Creating an object that is not directly touching the body is much harder to maintain than one that is. This is because, when touching your body, the flow of aura into the object is a lot more controlled. The aura user must create his own pathway for aura transfer if he is not directly touching the object. The only exception to this rule are aura spheres, as their continuous round flow keeps the sphere in place, and is therefore a frequently used attack method. Aura objects only damage the aura in the body, not the host itself. Only physical attacks cause actual damage to the host.

It is of extreme importance to have a host for the soul. The host provides an enclosed space for the aura to flow through. Relating to a bunch of balloons: if a bunch of balloons were released into an enclosed space, they would be much easier to retrieve than if they were released into an open area. The same applies for the soul- if an aura attack hits the soul, it's easier to piece back together when within a host rather than outside of the body. If the soul is destroyed too far, the body will fall unconscious, and it will take a while for the soul to piece itself back together again.

* * *

><p><strong>OMFG I wrote so much so fast why… I've seriously thought this through when in the shower, I'm dead serious. Oh yeah, please don't forget to review! Constructive criticism appreciated!<strong>


	4. Battle Start!

**Hiiiiiiiiiiii! ****( ᐛ ****」∠****)****＿****I KNOW I'M REALLY LAAAATE! School's here, and I'm caught in the middle of so much homework, and I swim until sixxxxxxxx thirrrrrrrrty. Just wondering, what do you people think of Shalourshipping? I think if it's pretty cute, but I still prefer Amourshipping. Welp, here's more of the story!**

The sun sat on the hills, its long rays stretching out the shadows.

"I guess its time to go back, right buddy?" Satoshi scratched his partner's ears with a small smile.

"Chaa!" Pikachu purred (can he? o_o) as his trainer walked back towards the hotel.

"Satoshi." A figure stepped out of the shadows, his purple-black hair glinting with the evening rays.

"Alan." Satoshi nodded, Pikachu tensing in response to the young man.

"You know, I'm participating in the League. How about, when we face off, and we battle," Alan grinned, yet his eyes reflected a darker emotion. "We do the audience a favor, and give them a _special_ battle."

Alan had been looking forward to this moment. It's the only reason he had asked Steven for a pass to the League, when otherwise he couldn't have cared less. He seeked to avenge his self from years ago. He wanted to show that he was stronger than Satoshi, that he had more power. It's the reason he learnt about Mega Evolution, and mastered it. It's the reason he and Charizard had trained so hard. To defeat Satoshi.

...But, why, exactly? Why did he want revenge, again?

Exhaling, Alan cleared his mind from the probing doubts. This is why he's been traveling, working so hard, right?

Satoshi stared, nonchalant. "I guess there's no point, especially when we already have a witness, right?" In the background, two figures, hidden by the shadows, suddenly jumped, and fled the scene. Satoshi averted his gaze back to the hateful eyes of Alan. "As a fellow Aura user, I accept your duel." Silently, the two boys shook hands, then walked off.

Both felt the resentment emanating from themselves and the other.

* * *

><p>"AAAAngh! Lucario, I don't get it! How did Satoshi notice us? We were completely invisible for most of the time! It doesn't make any sense!" Corni pouted, walking dejectedly alongside a ponderous Lucario.<p>

"_He probably heard your breathing, Corni. I did ask you to put up the sound barrier, didn't I?"_ Lucario replied, through its Aural (new word yesss) Telepathy.

"Y-yeah… Sorry, the plan failed. All we know is that they're going to battle."

Corni sighed. "I guess we should report back to Serena-chan and Citron-kun, right?"

Lucario stopped, its eyes taking on a look of bemusement. "_I don't think that's a good idea._"

"Huh? Why not?" Corni was surprised. Usually Lucario enforced the sharing of information amongst allies. He always stated that the more minds, the more ideas.

"_Think about it._" Lucario's red eyes glimmered in the light. "_If Satoshi was going to tell his friends about a battle with this so-called Alan, don't you think he would have acted less secretive? His leaving the room for a 'walk' had already roused my suspicions._"

Corni looked back at her loyal partner, realization clearly written on her face. "So, Satoshi has a secret that he doesn't want to tell to his _friends_?"

"_Yes. That is what I propose_."

* * *

><p>Serena couldn't sleep.<p>

The League was a perfect opportunity to attract more fans to her video website, and she was racking her brain for the perfect way to showcase her adorable Pokémon. Little Pancham was getting restless, for she couldn't stand going without their rehearsals for more than three days. How many has it been now? A week? She buried her pillow in her face. She couldn't lose. She'd think of something. Otherwise, Sana or Elle might catch up in site views.

Serena forced her eyes shut. Tomorrow, she'd think about it. Tomorrow was Satoshi's first battle. Perhaps, by watching him, she'd find some kind of inspiration, just like all those times before. Clutching her pillow tightly, Serena thought, _He's always been there for me, hasn't he?_

* * *

><p>"Welcome, challengers, to the official Kalos Pokémon League!" A blue haired announcer beamed on the stadium screen. "The ultimate tournament to test your skills against your opponents? Just how far will you trainers reach?"<p>

"Here we are with our 1024 qualified trainers! Slowly, this number will diminish to 512, 256, 128, all the way to our final two! Do you have what it takes to be the next Kalos champion?"

The crowd cheered, energetic shouts filling the air.

"And now, let us present the current Queen of Kalos, Carnet!"

Carnet and her Gardevoir, proudly wearing its Mega Stone Necklace, stepped out to meet the exploding audience. Looking down, they both surveyed the contestants.

"Once you win the tournament, trainers, you'll still have one more obstacle in front of you! In order to be crowned Champion, you must prove your worth in a battle against the Queen!"

Most of the reactions of the people in the chaotic mess of people Carnet had expected. Murmurs passed through in unintelligible waves. Yet, of course there were exceptions. Out of these specials, none the more startled her more than the aggressive glare of Satoshi, his chocolate eyes meeting the pale blues of hers.

She flinched slightly in unease. _This boy,_ she thought to herself, _he cannot be the same person I had met, what, 3 months ago?_ Her gaze swept the rest of the contestants. These true opponents stuck out like sore thumbs. Nonetheless, Carnet straightened her posture, and her Gardevoir followed suit.

"I'm looking forward to all your performances! Come at me with all of your strength! For I shan't hold back either!" Carnet's lips lifted into a graceful smile, concealing her anxiety. She knew that with each upcoming League, there were always contestants who could destroy mountains and rivers with their power. She's been champion for 3 years. She was now entering her fourth.

Never had there been as much competition as there was now.

* * *

><p>"Let the match between Satoshi from Pallet Town and Kuji from Anistar City commence!"<p>

"Let's go, Mothim!"

"I choose you, Greninja!"

Kuji was had a messy clump of pale yellow hair that reached his shoulders. He wore a green shirt depicting an odd arrangement of circles, and long, baggy, brown pants.

"A Greninja against my Mothim? What are you thinking with a matchup like that?" Kuji sneered, His Mothim leering at Greninja in a similar way to its trainer.

"Whatever. We'll make the first move! Air Slash, Mothim!" With a cry, the Mothim delivered a confident Air Slash at the immobile Greninja.

From the stands, Serena cringed, awaiting the explosion. Yet, somehow, Greninja disappeared with a puff of smoke.

"Huh?"

Satoshi grinned.

A dark shadow suddenly faded in behind Mothim.

"Water Shuriken," Satoshi commanded, and Greninja coming into view with bright blue shurikens spinning on his fingers. Quick as lightning, the Ninja Pokémon hit Mothim at its wings, the force sending it across the stadium, and pinning it to the wall.

"Night Slash."

Greninja's eyes narrowed, and its hand glowed a dark purple, before striking the helpless bug.

"The winner is Satoshi!" Cried the referee, raising his green flag to the smiling boy.

"We did it Greninja!" Trainer and Pokémon embraced, both grinning with happiness. "Just look out Kalos, 'cause I'm going to become the new Champion! Just you wait!"

Carnet smirked. "Battling him now would prove very interesting, hmm, Gardevoir?"

"..._Possibly_…"

* * *

><p>"That was incredible, Satoshi!" Eureka cried, her eyes sparkling. "You looked so cool out there!"<p>

"Y-you think? Thanks, Eureka." Satoshi scratched his head, a little embarrassed about the praise.

"She's right, Satoshi, you really did look like a pro," added Citron.

"Guys, you don't have to go that far…" Satoshi muttered, when suddenly Serena popped up behind him, a puffy, pink-haired girl clinging to her leg.

"Sereeeeeeeenaaaaa-senpaiiiiiiiii!" The girl moaned, tightening her grip on the honey-blonde girl. "NOTICE MEEEEEEE!"

Behind her, footsteps echoed through the hall.

"Manon, where are you-" Alan stopped, and stared. So did Satoshi, both of their eyes widening. "Manon, let's go." Alan grabbed her hand.

"B-b-but, Alaaaaaannnnn, you always make me wait!" Manon whined with childish determination, while Citron and Eureka just looked on with nervous smiles. "Plus, this is _the_ Serena, the _QUEEEEN_ of Kalos PokéVision!" Turning back to Serena, she darkly mumbled, "_I will get your autograph_."

Gazing at Satoshi with an amused expression, Alan set up a telepathic link with his rival.

_Man, I can't believe you managed to score the Queen of PokéVision for a girlfriend, Satoshi, _sent Alan.

_What's a girlfriend?_

Alan unsuccessfully tried to stifle a laugh.

_The great Satoshi can't even fathom the idea of "love!" _

_Why you!_

Satoshi lunged at Alan, pulling at his hair, while Alan retaliated by pinching his cheek, and a fight between them began.

"You take that back!"

"Nope, you know it's true!"

"S-shut up!"

"You shut up!"

Soon, everybody in the Center was staring at the pissed-off rivals.

"Wait, so you two know each other?" Eureka asked, suspicious.

Realizing their mistake, the two young Aura users quickly stepped away from each other.

"No! I don't, I don't know him!"

"I-I've never seen this idiot before in my life!"

"Whatever." Manon sighed. "You're such a horrible liar, Alan. Anyways, I got my autograph from the Queen-"

"You really don't need to call me that…" Serena quietly mumbled, clearly embarrassed.

"So, we can just head back now. I'm hungry. See you soon, Serena-senpai!" With a wave, Manon dragged an unemotional Alan to the dining hall, who told Satoshi, _Don't forget our duel._

_I'm not an idiot!_ Responded Satoshi, glaring back at him.

"Satoshi, are you ready? If you don't want to talk about what just happened, that's okay. Besides, it's getting late. We should probably start to head back."

Serena smiled sympathetically, gently enfolding his hand into hers. Satoshi sighed. Today has been troublesome, and he still had his mission tonight.

"Hey, Serena, what's so special about a girlfriend?"

"S-Satoshi?!" Serena turned around, shocked that he was clueless about such an important topic.

"W-well, a girlfriend…is...um…"

"HEY! Do I smell a hamburger?! Let's go, Pikachu!" Dragging Serena behind him, the young aura user burst into the dining room.

Citron and Eureka sighed together, both disappointed at their friend's lack of knowledge.

"Well, at least she managed to hold his hand again tonight." Commented Eureka as the siblings followed behind.\

* * *

><p>"So, what do you think, Lucario?"<p>

"_His and the purple-haired one's faces were pretty suspicious. Not to mention his out-of-character attitude during the tournament._"

"Your conclusion?"

"_We better keep an eye on him._"

"I think I've got the hang of this stalking thing, Lucario!"

"_It's not bad Corni."_

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

* * *

><p><strong>Hi… I made this pretty long to make up for my lack of updates… Hopefully this is good… I'm sorry… Next chapter's gonna be interesting, 'kay? Still accepting OC's, so hand them in! Hope you've been enjoying the series so far! See you later!<strong>


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